In Swanage a pavement is covered in clear ice caused by frozen rainCredit: BNPS

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A roof of a car in Swanage received a coating of ice courtesy of the freezing rain that has swept in with Storm EmmaCredit: BNPS

Its arrival prompted the RAC to issue a warning earlier this week following similar ones from forecasters.

According to the Met Office freezing rain tends to start its life as snow, ice, sleet or hail, but passes through a layer of air that’s above 0C on the way down to the ground, melting into a liquid water droplet.

If these droplets then fall through a zone of sub-zero air just above the ground, they become supercooled.

When these supercooled droplets strike surfaces that are close to or below freezing, they freeze on impact forming a glaze of ice.

What we know so far:

Eleven people including a seven-year-old girl have now died in the wintry conditions

Motorists stranded on the roads face spending a second night trapped in their cars

The treacherous conditions brought in by Storm Emma and the Beast From The East are set to continue as the UK shivers in freezing temperatures with sleet, gusts and floods expected to hit.

Police forces and travel companies have urged Brits to stay indoors as the death toll rose to ten and stranded cars built up overnight.

A red weather warning - the second in 24 hours - expired at 2am, but amber warnings for snow are still in place for much of Scotland, the North East of England, and parts of Northern Ireland, running until 10am, and for wind and snow in south western parts of the UK until 8am.

Worse is expected to come today as the Environment Agency triggered ten flood warnings – meaning people should take immediate action to protect themselves.

Train passenger records being stranded on broken down train all night as Storm Emma continues to cause weather mayhem

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